Manak Eknath Patil v. State Of Maharashtra

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION ANTICIPATORY BAIL APPLICATION NO. 1158 OF 2025 Manak Eknath Patil ...Applicant V/s.

The State of Maharashtra

...Respondent

Mr. Anil Bansode, Advocate for the Applicant. Mr. P. H. Gaikwad, APP for the Respondent/State. Mr. Ajinkya Jaibhave i/b Adv. Anusha Jaibhave, Advocate for Respondent No.2.

CORAM

:

N.R. BORKAR, J.

DATE :

08.09.2025.

P.C. :

1.

This is an application for Anticipatory Bail. 2.

The applicant is apprehending his arrest in Crime No. 103 of 2024 registered at Ganeshpuri Police Station, Dist-Thane (Rural), for the offences punishable under Sections 120-B, 420 and 406 read with 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. 2.

The applicant was the secretary of Shree Dindeshwar Mahadev Charitable Trust, at- Yewai, Tal- Bhiwandi. The allegations against the present applicant are that the applicant and other trustees, who are co-accused in the present crime, collected 1/3

donations from devotees and instead of depositing the said amount of donation in the bank account of the trust, they misappropriated the said amount which is to the tune of Rs. 98,51,481/-.

3.

I have heard the learned counsel for the applicant, learned APP for the respondent-State and the learned counsel for the respondent-first informant.

4.

The learned counsel for the applicant submits that the first informant has filed the report with some ulterior motive. It is submitted that the investigation is over and the prosecution has already filed the charge-sheet. It is submitted that there are no other criminal antecedents against the applicant. 5.

The learned counsel for the first informant has drawn my attention to the order passed by the Joint Charity Commissioner, Mumbai dated 09.03.2023, wherein certain observations are made in relation to the alleged misappropriation. The learned APP and the learned counsel for the first informant submits that considering the nature of crime, the applicant may not be released on anticipatory bail.

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6.

The fact of filing of the charge-sheet against the present applicant is not disputed. The applicant is 79 years old. Considering the overall facts and circumstances of the case, I am inclined to release the applicant on anticipatory bail. In the result, the following order is passed:

O R D E R

a] The Application is allowed.

b] In the event of arrest of the applicant in connection with Crime No. 103 of 2024, the applicant be released on bail on furnishing P. R. Bond in the sum of Rs.25,000/- with one or two sureties in the like amount.

[N.R.BORKAR, J.] 3/3